A Lover's Heart
by Solus Nox
Summary: Give the unknown a chance... he trusted it and it came out for him in the end, though something unexpected happened to him and the others. [And no, it's not suddenly falling in love]


A Lover's Heart

Typed:             December 21, 2002

Finished:           January 5, 2003

Genre:              Romance, Mystery, Drama, Angst, and everything else.

Disclaimer:        _Bishoujo Senshi Sera Muun_ [_Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon_]belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and Gundam W and Endless Waltz are copyright Sotsy Agency, Sunrise, and TV Asahi.

            Rain blinded his vision as it pelted down. He sped on the road with his motorcycle, faster than he was supposed too.

            How could he fool himself? 

How could he have broken her heart like that?

_My god… I'm so sorry… he apologized mentally to her. He wiped the rain away from his eyes as he turned the gears to make the motorcycle go faster. _

He needed to get away for the night, from it all. Even if she wasn't with him, he could hear her voice, smell her, and feel her touch and how she felt. 

But he broke her heart, telling her he was pretending; he only pitied her and that's why he was with her in the first place. 

She had run away when he said that. But he didn't hear her cry or scream why or other any sound. Only, he saw her silently cry and get away from him.

After that, he would her from time to time. She would be early to her destination; he checked his watch. She would be walking, her posture straight and her eyes ahead of her. 

_Maybe I really was holding her back… he thought bitterly. __I'm either getting someone hurt or they died. They always die… he added again bitterly and made a sharp turn._

Eyes met blinding artificial and he tried to close them, but it was too late. 

The motorcycle swerved around on the wet pavement as it smacked into the car. The driver had tried to break but couldn't in time. 

His body hit the hood of the car and he was flung into the air and over the rail. 

The motorcycle had fallen to the ground and its back wheel turned lazily.

"I hope he makes it…" 

"I'm sure he will." Wufei said.

"Yeah. Quatre you've got to stop blaming yourself." Duo told his blonde friend.

"He'll make it like Wufei said." Trowa added. 

They waited four months for a transplant and they had finally found one that matched his blood type. Only, the day before this shipped it over from Tokyo, Heero had gone into shock. 

It scared the four as they were in the room when it happened. Trowa had start CPR and Quatre ran out calling for help. They managed to get Heero under control but had he hooked machine after machine.

That was a few days over. Sally and the other doctors had to make sure he part is down. 

It was only a few minutes since they had taken Heero for the surgery; Quatre sat worried biting his nails. Trowa stood against the wall, his arms lazily crossed over his chest and thinking. Wufei sat in a chair and leaned back and crossed his arms like Trowa. Duo was pacing back and forth.

_Quatre exited out Sandrock, sighing. "Everyone okay?" he called over to the others that were getting out of their Gundams. _

_"I'm fine buddy," Duo called over to him. Wufei answered with a simple 'yea' and Trowa merely nodded. Heero still didn't come out Wing Zero yet._

_"Heero buddy?" Duo called over. The hatch didn't open and he looked to the others, shrugging with a puzzled expression. Floating over to Wing Zero, Duo knocked on the hatch. "Hey Heero!  Open up!"_

_No answer._

_"Heero! Come on! Open up! We're safe and in the hanger!" Still no answer. "Heero?" Duo tried again. "Guys, help me open up Wing! Heero isn't responding!" he called._

_"What? He isn't?" Quatre asked as he floated over with the others._

_"What is Yuy doing?" Wufei asked._

_Trowa came over silently and knocked on the hatch like Duo and no sound came through. "Come on, we better hurry." _

_"Where's the hat switch?" Duo asked as he moved his hands over the metal of the Gundam. _

_"Is there even one?" Wufei asked._

_"I'm sure there's one. I remember making one for outside use in case the controls were fried." Quatre said._

_"Don't remind us about that one…" Duo muttered. His hand went over a blue button and he grinned. "Found it!" he slammed his palm over it and the pilots back away from getting back hand by the hatch door._

_The door hissed as it lifted. Spots of red floated out of the Gundam and hit Wufei first. He smelled it and became somewhat alarmed._

_"Blood."_

_"What?" Duo turned to him. _

_The hatched opened all the way and they saw Heero slumped in his seat. His body was lax and his head fell to his chest._

_"Where's the blood coming from?" Quatre asked. "I don't see a wound."_

_Trowa moved over, lifting up Heero's head. His hand touch blood from the brown hair but his eyes lowered to the chest area. His green eyes widened and he panicked. _

_"Call Sally! Hurry!" _

_"Trowa what happened?!" Duo asked._

_He moved out of the way and as soon as he saw it, his heart stopped and then jump started again._

_"Lord…"_

_Quatre called for Sally and told her to hurry. She had asked why but all he could say was it was urgent and life and death. Seeing his face, she nodded and arrived within the minute._

_"What's wrong?" she asked the med kit in hand and ready._

_"Heero…" was all he could say._

_Her facial expression changed and she made her way over to the unconscious pilot. Moving the stilled Trowa out the way, the color drained from her face. _

_"Get the others from the med bay now! Tell them to bring the gurney!" she yelled. "Hurry!"_

_The pilots scrambled, obeying her command at the moment._

_They knew how to fight and infiltrate anything. _

_They just didn't know how to treat a bullet to the heart._

Quatre was shaken awake from his dream and saw Sally's smiling face. They others had fallen asleep, Trowa standing, Wufei leaned back and Duo lay along the couch.

"Hey," she said. "The operation was successful."

"No complications?" he asked her stretching out his stiff muscles.

Her face fell somewhat but she shook her head. "Nothing to worry about," she looked wistfully at the others and then back to him. "You guys should go home and rest. He'll be out for a while after all the medicine and his body has to adjust."

"I just want to make sure he's all right."

"Oh I'm hurt Quatre," she mock frowned. "Don't you trust my skill?"

He smiled a little, "Of course I do." he sighed. "But I think we all just want to see him when he wakes up."

Sally smiled and laid her hand on his shoulder. "I'll call you the first thing okay? Or I'll call you in the morning if he hasn't by then. Besides you guys will probably had enough rest by then right?" 

"Thanks. I'll wake the others." Quatre said. "Sally, I still have one question."

"What is it?"

"I know doctors aren't allowed to operate on people they know. How-"

"How am I allowed to? I'm the only one here that knows how."

"Oh."

"Get some rest Quatre." She said leaving. Then she added over her shoulder, "Tell the guys I said hi."

"Sure. Bye Sally." Quatre waved her goodbye. He woke the others and told them what she said. They wanted to see Heero but then since he made it through and it was a success, they could wait a few more hours. With their hearts a little lighter, the pilots drove home and went to sleep.

He felt like he was walking in sand in the dark. His feet moved slowly but soon he walked at his usual pace. The 'void' had mist floating around now.

"Hello?" he called out. No one answered and he didn't hear an echo.

Soon flashes of colors flew to his eyes and he blinked as they slowed like a slow motion picture before him.

A girl with silver-blonde hair done up in buns like odangos smiled as she slowly ran out of the reach of a tall black haired man. He could see his face but he could see the girls. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled with mischievous delight in getting away. He could hear faint laughter in the background and then the picture flashed away and another came.

This place looked liked an arcade and café together. Kids and adults stood at the machine consuls playing and other sat at tables or the counter eating or drinking.

The same black haired man sat at the counter, drinking coffee. 

Was it coffee? He wasn't sure but it seemed that way, the man always ordered it. 

Did he always? 

How did he know?

A blonde hair man with Quatre's caring eyes stood wiping a tea cup with a clean rag, smiling and talking to the dark haired man. He could almost hear their voices but it just felt like a little buzzing in the back. 

Then the doors of the café slid open, in bounding the blonde girl with her strange but fitting hair style. She smiled brightly, greeting everyone and making her way to the two guys at the counter. He felt himself smile seeing, she was so carefree. Something he didn't see in the longest time, not even in the person he protected long ago. 

Then the picture before him melted away and in came another like rushing water. 

Only this time, he was the black haired man.

Was he? He felt he was.

Before him, the sky was dark and the moon was waning away. He stood in a tree, leaves were moving so it was windy. He could feel his hand on the somewhat smooth surface of the tree. He crouched as he saw a fight or battle. 

One girl, hair done up in odangos, was wearing a uniform. It had a short skirt and tight bodice, a bow on her chest and back and she was in heeled boots. It was the same girl he realized.

_How could she fight in that? He wondered._

The girl dodged the oncoming attacks which looked like multicolored lights which caused explosions to rock the ground. 

_What was going on?_

He felt his hand move up, like it was ready to throw something. He pitched his arm back and flicked something and when it stopped, he saw the monster back up a few feet. Sticking out the ground were long stemmed blood red roses.

_Red… blood…_

The scene changed suddenly and he saw black with silver or whites lights.

_Space… he instantly recalled. _

Around him were consuls of blinking lights. Most of them were red now, but he couldn't hear the alarms they emitted. He was suddenly rocked back and forth so violently the air escaped him. He was still moving around like he was a rollercoaster and it got more violent, he felt sick. The scene was still before him but he was still swerving around and suddenly, some must have hit him somewhere. The place seemed to jerk suddenly and stop.

Heero jerked out of bed so suddenly, breathing hard and rapidly. He blinked his Persian eyes and tried to calm himself. A sharp pain shot up his left side, he fell backwards onto the hospital bed.

He was still alive? He moved his hand on the metal bar and then his chest, gripping the sheets. 

He was alive. He turned to the side and didn't see any machines with tubes. Just an IV sticking to his wrist and then a heart monitor, steadily going up and down on a green line.

He smiled and chuckled and then slowly let out a full laugh. Unlike the maniacal one, he laughed out of joy, just out of simple joy. He didn't worry for that one minute until he slowed and sighed. He smiled falling back on the bed and sighed tiredly. Yawning, he fell back asleep.

Sally stood at the door, smiling as she shook her head. It was somewhat comical seeing Heero's expression change from one emotion to the next so fast. Not just five month's ago was he just sitting in the same bed, glaring, sulking [which he claimed he wasn't], depressed [the woman could clearly see, which the males were oblivious to], and a lot more.

"Maybe I should just let them all sleep," she murmured. She shook her head once more and closed the door.

"They said the operation was a success Usagi-chan," Setsuna said across from the blonde. She drank her tea slowly and looked at her.

"That's good…" Usagi murmured. "He would have wanted it. He'll be helping others."

"Indeed he would be Usagi-chan," Hotaru smiled to her. "Are you okay?" she asked after. 

"I will be Firefly," Usagi smiled to her, petting her friend's arm. "I will be… how are the others hm?"

Setsuna smiled. "Haruka is still winning her races. And I think Michiru has a little competition. I heard there was an equally good violinist on L4."

"A Quatre R. Winner if I'm not mistaken right Setsuna?" Usagi asked her.

"The one and only."

"Really? Doesn't he own that large corporation? I think the news said they were moving a branch to Tokyo here in the business district." Hotaru added.

"That right. The building is scheduled to open in two months. It'll provide more jobs for people who need it," Setsuna said. 

"That's good," Usagi said. "I just don't see why they had to make another building. We've got enough of them in and around Tokyo…" Usagi muttered, drinking her smoothie.

Setsuna chuckled. "Yes we apparently do… my time's up here, so I'll leave Hotaru to study with you your highness."

"Setsuna…"

"Really, a woman your age should not whine," Setsuna mocked, berating her.

"Grr…" Usagi mocked and then laughed. "All right, I won't… for now."

Setsuna rolled her eyes and smiled. "I'll see you two later then."  She picked up her jacket and slid it on, walking out the Crown and disappeared to the Gates.

"I still have to learn that one…" Usagi said, referring to the Guardian's disappearing act.

Hotaru laughed and took out her calculus book. "You'll get it done. NOW, I really need help with this."

Wufei yawned and lazily moved his hand to the phone by his bed. He knocked his alarm clock off the stand but that didn't register with his mind yet. He picked up the phone and asked a groggy, "Hello?"

"Good even Wufei," came from Sally's voice.

"What are you talking about Sally?" he asked. "Its morning isn't it?"

"Well should it be dark? The time's 7:30." Wufei heard stifled laughed on the other end and scrambled out of bed and flinging his curtains open.

Indeed, outside was dark and the city lights looked like they were dancing in the light rain outside.

Sally heard Wufei curse and she laughed out loud. 

"Woman, that's not funny."

This caused Sally to laugh again harder and Wufei to growl.

"Okay, okay… I'll stop… don't you want to hear that Heero's awake?"

"You better…" Wufei muttered and then it registered with his brain what Sally had said. "He's awake?"

"Yes he is. He is eating right now… oh he says hi too." Sally added and Wufei heard a faint 'Hey' in the background.

Wufei fumbled with the phone. "We'll be right there!" He yelled into the receiver and hanged up the phone. 

Sally winced as he yelled and hung up. "I didn't know Wufei could yell like that…" she made a face and put the phone down.

Heero looked up. "Was that Wufei yelling?" 

"Yeah."

Heero laughed lightly and continued to eat.

The guys ran into the hospital, running down the hall. Wufei had ducked several times from getting hit, Trowa sprinted down the hall as Quatre did too, and Duo had to jump over various objects and was just an inch close to hit a man in a wheel chair. They all stopped at room 101 and breathed.

The door opened up and Sally stood there with a puzzled face.

"What happened to you guys? Run a marathon?" she asked. 

"Something like that," they all said at the same time.

She chuckled and moved out the way as the guys walked into the room. 

Heero sat up, reading a book with a hard, dark green cover. He looked up, smiling a bit.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

They all gave him hugs, slaps on the back, or smiles. Then he winced and closed his eyes in pain.

"Heero! What's wrong?" Quatre asked him first.

Heero opened one eye and then both, grinning. "Just kidding!" 

Wufei slapped his head, the room earned an 'OUCH!' "The hell was that for?" he asked.

"That was injustice. After our worrying, you pull that trick?!"

"Wufei?"

"What?"

"SHUT UP!" they all yelled at him.

From the door, Sally, a few nurses, and kids stood laughing. The former pilots flushed and coughed nervously, trying to salvage their dignity back from the scene. 

The kids giggled as the nurses directed them back to their rooms. Sally grinned and in an instant a flash blinded them and then they were awarded with a door slam.

"That onna…" Wufei was the first to regain his wits back from the sudden colored spots dancing across his vision.

"We get the picture…" Duo told him.

"Looks like she got the picture literally." Trowa added.

"Heero! Don't ever scare me like that again!" Quatre yelled suddenly. "If that ever happened, I-"

Heero told him. "I won't do that if you don't hug me again."

Quatre blushed and nodded, as he sweat dropped. "No problem. No hugging. Got it."

"So, how are you feeling Heero?" Trowa asked him.

"I feel better, still a little tired but better now," Heero told them. "My chest feels little sore too." _Yea, it should. They did crack it open… a little sarcastic comment came to his mind._

"Maybe you should rest then," Quatre said. "The fast you get better, the faster you can get out of here."

"Hn. I'll see you guys later then." Heero told them. "You don't mind bringing some real food right?"

They smiled and said their goodbyes, leaving the room. 

_Something doesn't feel right…what happens now? I'm getting better and soon I'll be out of here… will-_

"Hai you'll be all better your highness." The words came from a man sitting across from Heero. He had long blonde hair cascading down and icy blue eyes and he was wearing a white button up shirt with black pants.

"Who the hell are you?" Heero demanded. His hand instinctively went to his side but nothing was there.

"Your highness, watakushi no namae wa General Kunzite," the man said politely as he stood up and kneeled a puzzled Heero.

"I'm no one…"

He man gave a laugh and smiled at him. "Well, you are a prince weather you like it or not now." Heero raised his eyebrow, what was he talking about? "I can not tell you anymore. You can ask the questions, but I can not tell you anything unless you do."

"Why is that you can't tell me anything?" Heero asked him. 

"It was the prince's wish that you should learn on your own. Unlike himself…" Kunzite muttered the last to himself. 

"…" Heero looked at 'Kunzite' and realized something. Or rather felt he knew it. "You're dead."

"That I am your highness."

"… How are you here?"

"The former Guardian asked that when you were up after the operation, I should come. He said specifically that if you asked me anything, I was to answer. But if you didn't, I don't say a word." Kunzite told him. "But humans I tell you have the worst timing possible."

Heero looked puzzled. "Weren't you human?"

"A thousand or so years ago yes."

"What?" Heero asked. "A thousand or so?"

"It'll probably answer half the questions you have no clue about…"

"About…"

"About the Silver Alliance or some say, The Silver Millennium." Kunzite told him. "Get comfortable boy, it's a long tale." 

Heero glared at the man for calling him 'boy' but he didn't flinch. Nevertheless, he moved a little and leaned back into the bed.

"The ruler Queen …"

"Great…" Setsuna sighed, looking into the waters over the fountain at the gates. "It's all peachy now." she added sarcastically. 

She threw the time staff behind her and it disappeared. The waters rippled once more before it turned clear again and she sighed. Dark garnet ribbons surrounded her and she changed back into her dark suit. The jacket was opened and she put her hands on her hips for a moment, shaking her head. 

"Great, I can't see anything anymore…" she muttered as she walked over to the gate. 

She laid her hands on a designed carved into the rock and it start to emit a silver light as it moved. The lines shifted over and under each other. After the light faded, the lines looked similar to a Celtic knot. 

Taking out an ordinate necklace from her sub-space pocket, she pressed it into the lines and it looked liked it burned for a second. Removing the necklace, she slipped it on and disappeared from the lock Time Gates.

_Damn him, if Kunzite didn't look so much like Millardo, I would have ripped off his head._

Heero sat in bed, thinking over what Kunzite had told him a few hours ago and over what happened over the past months.

Five months ago… during that time, the pilots grew more like a family. Well, the growing closer like a family didn't really happen at first.

_Heero sat in bed; his eyes were closed as he tried to relax._

_The door opened and in came Duo and Quatre with a deck of cards and some snacks._

_"Hey Heero, how are you doing?" Quatre asked._

_"Fine." He answered shortly._

_"Hey, good to know. Wanna play some cards?" Duo asked shuffling the deck._

_"No."_

_"So what do you want to do?" he asked, stopping._

_"To use my laptop."_

_"Sorry Heero," Quatre told him. "You remember what Sally and the other doctors said." _

_"Well, if I can't have the laptop here, you guys might as well leave. I'm going to sleep." He stated to them. _

_Quatre sighed and Duo shook his head. "Whatever you want man," Duo told him. "Trowa and Wufei said they'll be down later."_

_With that, the two guys left Heero alone in the room. He sat there just letting his mind wander into the past. Time slipped by and it was the late afternoon. He didn't even notice Trowa and Wufei had come after a while._

_"You know," Trowa said in his even tone. "Duo and Quatre were just trying to entertain you. Possibly let you have a good time."_

_"I don't want to be entertained." Heero told him. "I just want to get out of here."_

_"And what if your heart fails suddenly?" Wufei asked him._

_"Then I die."_

_"No regrets? No wishes that you'd like before you're gone?" Wufei asked him again._

_"…"_

_No one said anything after that. Trowa was standing, leaning against the wall and Wufei was sitting quietly in a chair staring out the window. Heero's mind went over what Wufei asked him. _

Heero smirked. He still didn't answer that question until a month or so after that day.

_A 10 year old girl by the name of Maria walked into Heero's room with a keyboard with the help of her 12 year old brother, Tommy._

_"Hey Heero," Tommy greeted brightly. The boy had brown-black hair with light amber eyes like his sister. Maria had brown hair, but it had fallen out while she was chemo to treat her cancer._

_"Hey," Heero said back._

_"Mr. Heero, can I play my piano in here?" Maria asked. "The mean lady next to my room said I was noisy."_

_"Why do you need to play?" he asked her._

_"Because I wanna be the best when I grow up! I want to play the piano for my mommy when I go home. She says she misses when daddy used to play."_

_"Where's your father?" _

_"Mom says he died while fighting the … White Fang in the Eve Wars," Tommy told him._

_"No!" Maria yelled out. "Daddy's just gone. He'll be back…mommy said so."_

_"Sorry Maria, you're right. He'll be back." Tommy said. "Hey why don't you practice? That's all right, right Heero?"_

_"Yeah. Go ahead." Heero told them._

_He watched as the girl sat on the bed next to him and her brother take a chair and looked through the piano book for something for her to play. He found the page and held it up for Maria who smiled._

_"Oh, I know this one! It's my favorite and mommy's too!" she smiled in delight and began to play._

_The melody was soothing and she started to play slow first. The rise and fall of the notes wasn't even noticeable, the sounds of the keys melted and blended together. Heero was surprised by her skill. This girl was a prodigy on the piano. The sound felt so haunting, but it was comfortable._

_After Maria was done, both Tommy and Heero clapped for her and she giggled._

_"What's the name of the piece you played?" Heero asked her._

_"I think that's the best part. It's called the 'Sad Piano'." she said. "But it sounds cool right?"_

_Heero smiled a little at Maria. "Yea…some what fitting."_

At same day, Maria had died. He realized he didn't want to die. He wasn't scared of Death coming for him; he'd face it each time he fought. 

No, he just didn't want to die lonely.

"Thinking?" a voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up and saw it was another man. He had a blue shirt and black pants with blonde hair in a pony tail.

"Who are you?" 

"Watakushi no namae wa General Zoisite at your service." The man bowed and sat back down.

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't know. Need someone to talk to?" he asked him.

"No." Heero answered. "You're dead too aren't you, like Kunzite?"

"Yeah. It's not fun being dead," Zoisite commented. "I hang around the same people for over a thousand or so years now."

"You sound like Duo." 

"Duo?"

"Maxwell," Heero told Zoisite. "He's got long brown hair in a braid; he likes to joke around a lot."

"Doesn't sound like me, more like Jadeite or Nephrite to me." Zoisite said thoughtfully.

"What? There are more of you guys?"

"Heero?" Sally asked from the door. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he told her. "I was just-"

"No one else can see me except you Heero," Zoisite told him.

"Great… now he tells me," Heero said.

"Tell you what?" Sally asked again. "You're not hallucinating are you?" she placed the back of her hand on his forehead. "You don't have a fever."

"I'm not sick." Heero growled. "I'm fine. What did you need Sally?" he asked her.

"The guys are back… And to tell you also that you can start walking around when you want to. Just don't start running just yet." she added.

Heero looked at Sally. "I can get out this bed now?" 

"Yes." 

"Good. I don't want to stay any longer." Heero said as he started to place his feet on the floor. "No offence Sally."

"None taken." She smiled. "They also brought some clothes to change into."

Heero nodded and the others came in. Heero turned behind him and Zoisite wasn't there anymore. _Where did he? He wondered._

"Hey, wanna go down to the café? It just opened up today." Quatre asked Heero.

Heero nodded. "Let me get changed first." Wufei gave him the set of clothes and Heero went to the bathroom. In a few minutes, Heero had changed into a green sweater and jeans with a new pair of sneakers- curtsey of Quatre. 

They invited Sally to come along, but she had more stuff to do before she was done with her shift. So they walked past one of the parks of L4 and to the new café, 'The Crown.'

"Oh hey, they've got games!" Duo lit up like a Christmas tree. "See ya in a bit." He ran to the nearest one, which was a racing game.

"Again with the five-year old antics…" Wufei muttered. "Heero, you were spared last week."

"Spared?" Heero sat down in a booth. "What did the baka do now?"

"Only decided that Wufei needed a new hair color," Quatre said.

"Hello," a girl came up to the group. "What will you four have?"

"Coffee, black." Heero said.

The girl looked strangely at him. The others did too and Quatre asked, "You drank coffee Heero?"

"… I just had some the other day and I liked it." He told him. _Coffee… I never had coffee before. Where did that come from?_

"Oh, sorry if I was staring…" the girl apologized. "I had a friend who ordered the same thing all the time. He practically lived on it." She smiled wistfully.

"Oh."

"I'll take some tea." Wufei told her.

"Same with me."

"I'll have coffee and a piece of cheese cake." 

She wrote it down and told them it'll be there in a few minutes.

The group was quiet for a while before she came back and gave them what they ordered.

"Thank you Ms…"

"I'm Furuhata Reika and it's not Ms. either." She said smiling. "I'm married."

"Wow, I never would have guessed," Quatre said. "You look so-"

She laughed good naturedly. "Young, I know. I'm 25."

"Really? My friends and I are too, except Trowa. He's 26."

"Quatre…" Wufei said.

"Oops. I still have work to do. I'll leave you guys to eat; it was nice talking to you though." She said going into the kitchen.

"Hey guys," Duo came over to the table. "Who was the girl?"

"She works here. And she's_ married Maxwell." Wufei emphasized that part._

Duo stuck out his tongue at him and laughed. "All right, all right. I get it. Besides, I'm not looking for a girl."

Well this certainly made the guys spit out their drinks, even Quatre.

"WHAT?"

Duo laughed and wished he had a camera for that moment. "Hey, can't I be serious for once?"

"Serious and you? In the same sentence?" Heero asked.

"I highly doubt it." Trowa answered.

"Hey! That was uncalled for!" Duo exclaimed and sat next to Quatre who was laughing. "I can be serious… and I am right now. I was want to live right now and do stuff."

"Stuff?" 

"Yeah, stuff."

"Okay," Quatre said. "We're sorry. Right guys?" no one answered as he thought he heard crickets. "Guys?"

***cough, cough* **

"Yea Quatre," Trowa, Wufei and Heero chorused together. "We're sorry."

**-Insert mental laughing here-**

_Oi vey… Quatre thought. "So," he started, taking a dink of his tea. "What are we doing today?"_

Various ideas were shouted and Quatre sighed.

"I can not believe I'm here," Heero said. "I think my heart is going to stop."

"Oh come on," Duo said standing in front of the guys now. "It's not that bad. Right?"

Trowa decided it was the best time to start working on his whistling and Wufei joined him. Quatre smiled like he usually did and shook his head.

"No," he said. "I think it's a good idea."

"See? Quatre agrees with me."

"Duo, just don't tell me to sing." He added.

_Oi vey… Duo sighed. "Come on, if you guys aren't going to sing, then we can just see other people sing. Okay?"_

Various answers of 'fine' or grumbles were heard and they entered the karaoke bar.

The phone rang behind the counter at The Crown and Motoki picked it up.

"Moshi, moshi. This is Crown," he answered.

"Moto-chan! You're there!" Reika's voice cried. "I didn't know the time difference; I thought I missed you at work!"

Motoki blushed at his wife's nick name, but still chuckled at her. "It's… 7:30 am here koi," he told her. "What time is it over at L4?"

"Its 6:30 at night here Moto-chan. How are things going over there?" she asked.

"Oh busy as usual. What about you? How's the new place holding?" 

"Good in fact. Koi, you should have been here today, this guy walked into Crown with his friends and orders a Black coffee."

"Reika-chan, a lot of people order black coffee though," Motoki added, sweat dropping.

"Motoki! I know!" she yelled at the screen. He winced and she calmed down a bit. "What I meant was that the way he said it and the way he looked, you would have thought he could have been Mamoru today."

"Really? That similar?" Motoki asked.

"Hai. But he had brown hair and a darker shade of blue in his eyes than him."

"Oh," was all he could say. "So when should I come up and visit?"

"How about in a month? I want to see Usa-chan too."

"I'm sure she'll love to come," Motoki said. "Well speak of the devil… here she comes, want to talk to her?" 

"Of course!"

Motoki laughed and greeted Usagi. He told her Reika was on and she immediately talked to the woman. They talked about what happened so far while Reika was gone.

She was crying. He felt his hand go up, touching her cheek to calm her. He didn't want to see her cry. 

It was the same girl, only she was wearing a silver silk dress with gold crescent moons at the top. In her hand was a pink wand it looked like with a crescent moon at the top also. 

She kept crying and then he heard her faintly yell as he was pulled into the dark.

Next, he was sitting on a bench. She was next to him, but she didn't move.

"Do you remember me?" she asked, looking ahead.

"Am I supposed to Odango?" he heard himself say.

She sighed and got off the bench. "Good night then Chiba-san."

He felt himself get up and walk the other direction. "Yea… good night." He said after her. As she disappeared he sighed. "Sorry Odango. But what makes you so sad?" he asked. He looked up and his vision went black again.

Everything was on fire. The explosion that rocked the Mobil Suit base went off as timed. He watched as one explosion came after another. The building fell and he turned to leave.

Then another explosion came. But it wasn't from the base. He turned and saw a Mobil suit catch on fire and explode. Another caught on fire and did the same. It swayed back and forth and then his eyes widened.

An apartment complex.

"No!" he screamed but it wouldn't help.

The Mobil Suit pitched backwards and crashed into the complex and he fell to his knees. He caused it… how many innocents died? And the little girl… Mary? Did she live there too?

"This happens in war," someone said. "You know that." 

He turned around and saw a tall man in a tuxedo and a top had over black hair. In his hands were a cane and then a rose in the other. His eyes were covered with a white masquerade mask.

"Who are you?" he demanded with his gun aimed at him.

"Just a specter from the past," he said. "Oh, but not yours. You never met me before."

And then suddenly, everything disappeared to be replaced by his room. The door opened and in popped Quatre's head.

"Morning Heero," he greeted brightly. "Want to come down and eat?"

He sat up and blinked. "I'll be down soon."

"Okay." Quatre said and left, closing the door.

_That man… he was the one who threw the roses the first time… Heero realized.__ Who is he? _

He sighed getting up and got some clothes to change into. He went into the bath room and saw the orange bottle of pills Sally prescribed to him.

_"Heero," Sally walked to him. "Here's your prescription."_

_"Prescription for what?"_

_"It's a mood depressor. Everyone who has a heart transplant takes them," Sally handed him a piece of paper._

"Well, I'm not everybody…" Heero said to no one and threw the bottle away. He took a shower and got dress to head down stairs.

"What? Again?!" Heero heard Wufei yell again this morning.

He walked in to see Wufei grumble and Duo eating. Trowa sat quietly, drinking his coffee and Quatre hung up the phone.

"Wufei, stop complaining." Quatre told him.

"Ye Wuffles," Duo said while eating. "Don complain b'cause you got a voice and the girs luv it." Duo referred the night when the guys had gone to the karaoke bar.

Wufei grumbled again and went back to eating his breakfast of Dim Sum. Heero went to the pot of coffee and took some which the others got used too. He drank it on a regular basis now.

"They called again today?" Heero asked.

His only response was a grumbling Wufei and he chuckled.

Heero sat in the library reading a book he picked out of the shelves. He didn't know what he didn't before. The book was about an inch think or so and he was half way through. By the time Trowa found him, Heero had a tack or two of books. He picked up one and read the title: Medical Advances and Cures.

"Heero?" Trowa asked perplexedly.

"Hm?" he looked up from his reading and saw Trowa. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, you missed lunch and it's time for dinner," Trowa told him. "I didn't know you read on this." he added showing him the book.

Heero looked at the title and finally realized what he had been reading. "Oh." Was all he could say to Trowa. "… I'll be down in a few."

Trowa nodded and left the library. _Heero, what's going on with you?_

Heero glanced back at Trowa and then to the books. He read each on the titles and threw them behind him each time he realized it was about the medical field.

_What the hell is going on? He asked himself. __First it's the dreams, then the coffee, but now books? Books on medicine and, and… _

He walked out the library in a half walk and half run. He passed the dinning room where the others were and didn't hear the others calling after him. He ran into the garage, grabbed a helmet and sped away from the mansion.

Mizuno Ami sat in the doctor's lounge drinking her coffee with others who were on their break. It had been a hectic day with Doctor Po gone on an emergency call.

The door opened and Heero walked towards Ami. 

"Are you Mizuno Ami?" he asked.

"Yes," she sat her cup down and looked up at Heero. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Do you know where Sally is?" he asked her. "I need to talk to her."

"Doctor Po is away on call," Ami informed him. "But you can ask me. What is it about?"

Heero sat across from her and breathed. "It's about my transplant-"

"Heart transplant right?" she asked and he nodded. "You've been taking the prescription haven't you?"

"No. I threw them away," he told her truthfully. "I thought I didn't need them. I've been-"

She sighed and rubbed her temples. "Mr.…"

"Just Heero."

"Heero… you need to heed a doctor's advice. Here's another prescription for the same thing. Sally gave it to me just incase you came back," she gave the piece of paper to him. "And my advice to go to a support group. There are others who have had transplants and might even have experience any problems like you have. My break is over and I'm sorry if haven't helped." She said leaving the lounge.

Heero left the hospital, grumbling. He sighed looking at the piece of paper Sally wrote for him and ripped it up. He thought back to what the intern said and snorted. 

Exactly how many people get a heart transplant and then suddenly do things not ordinary for them? 

Not many.

He was amazed [only for a little] that a shooting range was still opened at this time of night. He went to the far corner of the place and put on a pair of ear muffs. Taking out the gun he rented, Heero shot at the target at the far end of him.

            With his feet planted firmly on the floor his shot off the first one. The bullet hit the forehead of the dummy.

            _Things were simple seven months ago._

            Another shot and he hit the dummy's chest.

            _Fight and get rid of the enemy. That's all it was day in and out._

            Another shot and it hit the neck.

_            I didn't worry about everyone. I didn't worry about myself… all I was, was just standing around…_

            The next bullet hit the dummy's left arm.

            -w_aiting._

            Next hit was the other arm.

_            I hate this._

            He growled a little and the bullet hit where the heart would be. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around so fast, his empty gun pointing at the person's head.

            "Whoa," Duo had his hands up. "Calm down Heero."

            "Hn." Heero replied shortly and put the gun onto the counter. They walked out of the range and Duo stopped behind him.

            "Heero, what's wrong?" he asked concernedly. "Every since you came back from the operation, you've change back."

            Heero turned to look at Duo. "You want to know what?" Heero's voice rose. "I keep getting dreams and then I start reading Medical textbooks that are in Quatre's library. Then there's the coffee. I _never drank coffee in my entire __life till now. And you know what? I'm also growing black hair!"_

            "Heero?" 

            "What?!" 

            Duo frowned and mentally apologized. "You'll probably thank me later."

            "What?"

            The next thing Heero saw was oblivion.

            Duo sighed and then shook his fist. _Shinigami! What the hell are Heero's bones made of? That hurt! Out loud, Duo yelled a string of curses to out do anyone._

            "He should have woken up already," Quatre said, looking over Heero's face. "Are you sure you didn't hit him too hard?"

            "Quatre… believe me when I say it hurts more for me than him." Duo stated.

            "He's growing black hair." Trowa commented.

            "Yea, I told you guys that remember?"

            "I mean you can see it now." Trowa moved out the way and the others took a look. The brown in Heero's hair looked like it lightened and there are sections of black hair.

            "You're right Trowa," Wufei said. "I can see it."

            Heero started to move and everyone moved back from him. Heero slowly sat up and when he saw Duo, the braided man screamed bloody murder and tried to run away from him. Heero grabbed Duo's flying braid with an iron grip and Duo fell backwards onto the carpeted floor.

            "Duo?"

            ***Gulp***

            "You're dead."

            ***Meep***

            Motoki hugged Usagi once more and smiled. 

            "I'll be back before the holidays end and I'll bring Reika-chan with me," he told her. "Can you manage the Crown for me this time?"

            "Motoki-kun! I'm horrified you don't trust me!" Usagi mocked frowned.

            "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Motoki-san…" Hotaru followed.

            Then the all laughed and smiled. "You can help Usagi-chan if you want Taru-chan. I'm sure she'll need you to keep on her toes," Motoki added.

            Hotaru laughed and shook her head. "I'd love too but that boss at the hotel…" she rolled her eyes. "Besides, I'm sure Usagi-chan will be fine."

            "Yes, thank you Taru. I can manage… unlike some other person thinks," Usagi added.

            Motoki laughed and hugged the two before he boarded his shuttle to the colonies.

            "Usagi-chan?"

            "Yes?"

            "Why didn't you go with Motoki?" she asked. "I know how much you wanted to go."

            "Taru," Usagi said looking at her. "I feel it isn't the time for me to."

            "You feel it?"

            "Yes…" Usagi told her. "Something's just…"

            "Oh I see…" Hotaru nodded and then grinned. "You're afraid like Makoto-chan."

            "What?! I am not!"

            "Oh you are too Hime," Hotaru said.

            Usagi laughed and smiled. "You just sounded like Rei-chan, Firefly…"

            "Someone has to keep you sane right?"

            "Yup." The two laughed and left the airport to the Crown.

            "You said Chiba right?" Wufei asked.

            Heero nodded and Wufei turned back to the laptop. Trowa thought he would never see the day Heero would let someone do the work for him. Of course, he never thought Heero would get shot in the heart…

            "Okay," Wufei's voice broke though his thoughts. "There are 300 Chiba's in Tokyo."

            "You sure it's Tokyo?" Duo asked him.

            "Positive. And the girl I told you about, she was in a fuku of some sort." Heero said and Duo looked puzzled.

            Trowa glanced over at Heero. "Guys, mind if I talk to for sec?" he ushered Quatre, Duo, and Wufei out of the library and Heero gave him a grateful look.

            Heero rubbed his temples slowly trying to sooth his mind. They were trying to help and he was grateful, he really was. But he needed to do this.

            _Maybe they need to get used to the fact I'm better __now… he cracked his knuckles and started to type on the laptop like old times._

            Motoki walked into the Crown café on L4 and was suddenly hugged form behind.

            "Toki-chan!" Reika yelled behind him. "I've missed you so much…" her voice trailed off as her face was pressed against his back.

            Motoki chuckled and turned himself around to face her. "I've missed you too _mai koidzuma." He smiled and hugged her. (My loving wife)_

            "You've come earlier than I expected koi," Reika said happily.

            "You don't want me here?" Motoki asked. "I see…"

            "Toki-chan! Really, most you use those drama talents of yours?" she joked. They both laughed and soon caught up on each other about what was happening.

            "So, do they still come?" Motoki asked her.

            "They? Who are 'they'?" Reika asked him.

            "The one with his friends. You said he looked like Mamoru."

            Reika nodded and remembered them. "Oh yea, they still come all the time now. You know, they're almost like Usagi and her friends. One's energetic and bouncy like Minako."

            Motoki shook his head, chuckling. "If they ever met-"

            "It would be crazy."

            "Exactly."

            "Now, why do you ask?" Reika took a sip of her vanilla cappuccino her co-work and friend brought for her and her husband. The girl had winked and knowing the girl, Reika blushed.

            "How should I put this…? I've been having-"

            "Dreams?" they both asked at the same time.

            "You too, koi?" Reika asked him. "It's strange isn't it? I see a full moon and then I'm suddenly hit all these scenes and then-"

            "-then you think you can remember them but you can't. Then you see a woman with a crescent moon on her forehead and everything's hazy. Do you see Mamoru at the end dressed like a prince or guard?" Motoki filled in and asked her.

            "Yea, in fact I do," Reika told him. "What's all this about?"

            "I have no idea…" Motoki said. "I have no idea…"

            One match; Juuban District.-

            …

            …

            …

            Name: Chiba Mamoru

            D.O.B: August 3, A.C. 177

            Injuries: Suffered from amnesia, parents killed in automotive accident

Information: attended Tokyo University (Majored in multiple Medical fields), accepted to Harvard; Lived in a single apartment alone; Dated and was Engaged to Tsukino Usagi; 

            D.O.D: May 15, A.C.  197

            Cause of Death: Broken neck to head on collision with automobile

            Status: Organ donor

            _What do I do now? Heero asked himself after reading it over a few times. He blinked and looked out the window; the colony was on night mode and he looked to the clock that read 1:22 am. He sat there for more than half the day. He stood and wasn't too stiff, just hungry. He left the library with the printed piece of information and headed to the kitchen. He passed the other rooms and saw all the lights were off. _

            He fixed himself a sandwich and turned to put the leftover stuff into the fridge and bumped into someone.

            "Heero-san?" a deep voice asked.

            He looked up and saw it was Rashid. "Rashid, what are you doing up?"

            "I should be asking the same of you. You should be resting." He told him, taking the leftovers and putting it into the fridge for him.

            "I just finished researching and I was hungry."

            "Ah yes. Quatre-sama was very worried about you. And the others were too, Barton-san told them to leave you to whatever you were doing though." Rashid said, remembering back to the conversation he heard. "You missed dinner."

            "And lunch." Heero added.

            "It seems so, well good night Heero-san; I'll leave you to eat." Rashid said.

            "Rashid," Heero said. "May I ask you something?"

            Rashid nodded and sat onto the stool next to Heero and waited.

            "If you found out something, about someone," Heero slowly said. "Would… would you try to find out who they were and the people they knew?"

            "Is this about the transplant you had?" Rashid asked.

            "…yes."

            "Well, that's s tough question. But if someone I knew died and had given their organs to others, I would like to see who that person saved. But if you're trying to find the people who knew the donor, you might be opening up old wounds. But maybe they would want to know who was saved. The Choice is up to you, but tread lightly Heero-san," Rashid warned. "Matters of the heart are not to be fooled."

            "That I know too much about at the moment Rashid," Heero muttered. "Thank you for your advice."

            "It is no problem; good night Heero-san."

            "Good night Rashid," Heero said. The tall Maguanac left and Heero ate in the dark, next the window and looked out. 

            He would find those people…

            He just hoped he didn't regret it.

            When Quatre walked sleepily into the kitchen, he found Heero back on his laptop, typing furiously like he once did before.

            "Good morning Heero," Quatre greeted.

            "…" Heero continued on typing like he didn't hear Quatre. 

            He sighed and started to cook breakfast. _Guess old habits die hard. He thought as he mixed the batter for the pancakes.         _

            Trowa soon came in after Quatre and saw Heero still typing on the table. Trowa remembered back when they were still fighting, he looked exactly like that at the moment. Heero would be sitting up, eyes scanning over the information and fingers typing rapidly on the keyboard of his laptop. 

            "Morning Quatre," Trowa said.

            "Hey Trowa! Is Heero still on his laptop?" Quatre asked from the stove. He turned around to see Trowa.

Trowa nodded and he Quatre sighing, shaking his head. "Need some help?" he asked.

"Sure, you can bring out the pancakes while I start on the eggs." 

Wufei came in after Trowa and shook his head seeing Heero. He walked into the kitchen and then sighed as he came back out with plates of eggs; Quatre had shoved them into his hands to bring out. _I'm your waiter today, how may I help you? He thought sarcastically for a moment._

The laptop beeped, catching their attention. They looked up at Heero. _What was that? The beep sounded mysteriously like one when they got a mission._

Heero stood up and blinked when he saw the others. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You didn't see us come in?" Quatre asked.

"No… what time is it?" he asked, yawning a little.

"9:00 am," Trowa told him.

"Oh… I'll be right back," Heero said taking his laptop.

"What was that about?" Wufei asked. "How long has he been on that thing?"

"I don't know," Quatre said. "He was on it when I came in to start breakfast."

Heero went back into the library to print out everything he found. He connected his laptop to the printer and sat down, waiting for everything to come out. He sighed, stifling another yawn. He didn't get back to sleep after he had eaten the sandwich. He took a piece of paper and decided to write down everything he wanted to find out. So after he was done, he turned his laptop back on and went searching. One after another, he found another person that knew Mamoru. 

The blonde-haired man he kept seeing repeatedly was Furuhata Motoki. He went to same college as Mamoru. Motoki was currently married to Reika. He then remembered she worked at the Crown café in town. It was similar to the one Motoki owned in the Juuban District in Tokyo.

The girl, now woman, was Tsukino Usagi. She was currently finishing her last year of college, majoring in Music, World History, and Political Relations. She was living with Tomoe Hotaru, currently a senior in high school and working at big named hotel. A list of all the people that knew Mamoru personally came up on the side of Usagi's file and Mizuno Ami was there. He wasn't too surprised… maybe he could talk to her too. 

His mind went over everything and soon he drifted off to sleep again like lately.

"So you've found almost everything," a man said from somewhere.

"What?" Heero asked. He tried looking around, but he couldn't see a thing anywhere in the haze. "Who are you?"

"I suppose this would help," another said. 

With a wave of his hand, the mist seemed to disappear and Heero looked around. It looked like an apartment, fully furnished. Thing was neat and clean, but there were no windows. 

One man with long brown hair in a ponytail sat in a chair and he wearing a forest green shirt with black pants and the other, a blonde short haired man laid lazily over the couch wearing a red shirt. They both got up and bowed.

"Watakushi no namae wa General Nephrite," the brown haired one said.

"Watakushi no namae wa General Jadeite," the other introduced himself as.

"…" Heero was clueless as what to say at this time. What do you say to two other dead guys visiting you?

"He's quiet." Jadeite stated.

"Thank you Jadeite," Nephrite said in monotone. "For stating the obvious."

"What do you guys want?" 

"He speaks!" Jadeite yelled. Heero and Nephrite shot him a glare to quiet him.

"Actually, we don't want anything," Nephrite told him. "You see, Endymion had only sent for Kunzite to see you.

"So… why did Zoisite visit me?" Heero asked,

"He got bored." Jadeite said.

_Oi vey… "And you two…" Heero said. _

"We're bored too." Jadeite finished.

"You are," Nephrite told him. "But I'm here making sure you don't cause trouble."

"I see. Where are we?" Heero asked.

"Endymion's apartment," Nephrite said sitting back onto the chair. "You know him as Chiba Mamoru."

"Endymion… he's the prince Kunzite told me about. During the Silver Millennium." Heero stated.

"Correct, though Kunzite wasn't supposed to tell you that." Nephrite added.

"We can make him forget," Jadeite said to Nephrite. "It's simple; I've done it tons of times…" Heero shot Jadeite his trademark glare and Jadeite gulped. "Or maybe not…"

Nephrite leaned back into the chair and laughed. "Like you actually try," He said rolling his eyes. "Besides, it wouldn't work. He's got Endymion's…"

"Oh yeah… he does." Jadeite realized.

"I have what?" Heero asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," Nephrite said smiling. "And you're waking up now too. Don't look too hard now." He said waving and jadeite waved as Heero felt he was being sucked into a black hole.

"Heero? Heero? Wake up man."

Heero blinked and his vision cleared and he saw Duo standing over him, with a worried look on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You never came back for Breakfast from what Q told me."

"Yea. I'm fine, what time is it right now?" Heero asked getting up.

"It's noon." Duo stated. "Heero, what's wrong? You haven't been eating too much and sleeping either."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. This thing is still bothering you isn't it?" Duo asked. "Hey, you can tell me anything Heero. I'm not going to tell anyone anything unless you want me too."

_Was this what he was talking about the other time, when he had other things to do? He wondered. Heero nodded and sat back down. "Fine… let me ask one question first."_

"Okay," Duo agreed sitting down next to him. "Go ahead."

"What did you mean when you weren't looking for a girl friend? What were you referring to when you said you had stuff to do?"

"Blunt as always…" Duo chuckled. "All right, I'll tell you." Duo said taking a deep breath. "I was referring to the fact that I was worried about you and also to the fact that I'm looking for a girl that…"

            "That…"

            "That is meant for me," Duo said. "Like… like my-"

            "-your soul mate." Heero finished for him.

            "Yea. Seeing you in the hospital for five months before the transplant… scared me Heero… anyone of us could have died in the war… and now that it's over, I want to live but I also want someone that can always understand me and the way I feel and why I am this way."

            _I never figured Duo for the one to be like this… then again, they never figured me to get shot in the heart. "I understand," Heero told him._

            "You do, do you? Well, it's your turn to spill bud." Duo told him.

            Heero walked into the Crown on L4 and sat at his usual table and looked out the window. Reika walked over and smiled like always.

            "Afternoon Heero-san. Same?" she asked.

            "Yeah, but could you hold that for a minute? I wanted to ask you something." He told her.

            "Okay, what is it?" 

            "You knew a Chiba Mamoru once did you not?" 

            Reika blinked and hope she had heard right. "Heero, what about Mamoru?" she asked, slightly shaking.

            "I had an operation. Mamoru… he was my heart donor."

            "H-heart?" Reika stuttered. "Heart transplant?"

            "So…" Heero said after the long silence. 

Right now, Motoki, Reika, and he were sitting in the booth, Heero on one side and the other two on the other. Reika had almost fainted after she had heard Heero and ran to call Motoki from the apartment she was living for the moment. He was still sleeping and when she called about what happened, Motoki could have sworn it was a dream.

            Too bad it wasn't.

            Motoki had promptly fallen out the bed, got dressed, and rushed over to the Crown. 

            "Sorry Yuy-san," Motoki apologized. "This is the strangest thing to happen to you before." _Not counting Sailor Moon and the other senshi in Juuban. He added mentally._

            "Oh…" Heero said. _They left something out. Wonder if they knew Mamoru was that Tuxedo Kamen… Heero had also found along with his research 'strange sightings' of super heroes, that saved them from what either seemed to be natural disasters or energy sucking monsters. "Do you mind if I ask a few things about Mamoru? … I've been doing a few things out of the ordinary…"_

            "…sure. What would you like to ask?" Reika said. She held onto Motoki's hand and he held it firmly, comforting her. She smiled a little at the similarities about Heero and Mamoru: one they were quiet at first before talking.

            "Did Mamoru like coffee? Black coffee?"

            Motoki nodded. "He drank it everyday at the Crown where I worked," he said. "Reika and I decided to open one up here. We're originally from Tokyo."

            "I see. That would explain your flawless Japanese."

            "Yeah it would. You don't see too many blonde haired, blue eyed Japanese people do you?" Motoki asked, laughingly.

            "You certainly don't," Heero said, getting more comfortable to talk to them. "I've never drunk coffee before… and now I do." they laughed a little more, making the tension ease through each minute. 

            "How did Mamoru go through college?"

            "About college," Motoki laughed. "… Man, were those the funny days. I was still dating Reika that time."

            "We had just met at a party," Reika added.

            "Yea. Mamoru… he was like a stick in mud. Always studying; he even came into the Crown with his med book a few times. If I wasn't his best friend, that book would be. Thank goodness we convinced to leave the poor thing in his apartment…"

            Heero laughed. Motoki was somewhat like Duo and Quatre rolled into one. 

            "It was funny too. The day I convinced him to leave it at home was the same day he ran into Usa-chan," Motoki said. "Usagi the Track Rabbit; she was constantly late for school, but she would run so fast like she was a bullet and only get there right after the bell."

            "Usagi…" Heero said, letting the name roll off his tongue. "Tsukino Usagi? Mamoru's fiancée?" he asked.

            "Why yes," Reika nodded. "How did you know?"

            "I uh…" Heero hesitated a bit. He felt strange mentioning it. "I did some research and found she was his fiancée."

            "Was the right word…" Motoki muttered and then spoke up. "Was is right. You see, before Mamoru was killed, he had broken up with Usa-chan half way through her senior year."

            Reika sighed. "She was so depressed. But she didn't show it, she eventually convinced everyone that she was fine and she concentrated more on school after that," Reika smiled. "She graduated with honors too. And also for most improved."

            "Yea that day was so wonderful. She smiled and shined. And if only he had been there," Motoki said.

            "Well how did Usagi-san stay engaged to him, if they broke up?"

            "They broke up right?" Heero nodded. "Usa-chan did throw the ring at him and then left. But they day he died; they opened the safe box he had at the back and let her view the contents. Inside was the ring, a silver necklace and a rose. They said the last he had put anything into the box was about two month's before. The rose was still healthy and red, no petals fell off. No one explain that but Usagi put the ring back on, crying like the day happened again. The necklace and rose, she slipped into her purse. I haven't seen her wear the necklace ever."

_            He sighed, putting on a smile, walking into the bank. The teller greeted him smiling and he did so too. He told him he was going to put some things into safe for safe keeping and the teller nodded._

_"This way Chiba–san." He said and led him to his box and bowed as he left. _

_Mamoru breathed as he sat down. He took out the key and unlocked the box from its place. Sitting it down, he opened it to find papers and booklets that kept track of his finical status. Taking those out, he made his rose materialize before him._

_It was as red as ever like the first day he found it in his apartment. _

_He put that in first and then he took out the ring he gave to Usagi. He remembered how she looked that day again and it still pained him to remember her that way. But now, she just walked around like a remote control car. She spoke low and softly, sometimes in monotone. She never smiled and all because he did it. _

_Damn what he seen…_

Death.

Destruction.

Crystal Tokyo smoldered in fires and ashes.

_He knew it was to be… he even asked Setsuna about it. She didn't see it. But he had…_

_He placed the silver and gold band ring into a black box and put into the safe box._

_Lastly, he made the Golden crystal materialize before him for the last time. He placed it between his palms and concentrated on it as it slowly molded itself into a tiny amber-like charm with a gold ring at the top. He took out the silver chain he bought and slipped it through. He placed the necklace into another black box and then shot the bank box forever._

_Setsuna… Setsuna… where have I heard that name? Heero asked himself. __Ah, toki no senshi..._

"Heero-san?" Motoki asked. "Heero–san? Are you all right?" 

"Hn?" he glanced up from his coffee. "What again? Sorry I didn't hear you."

"It's okay. Why don't we talk tomorrow?" Motoki suggested. "Crown is about to close."

"Oh…" he let out. He stood up and shook hands with Reika and Motoki. "Thanks for letting me ask you guys."

"No problem," Reika smiled. "It meant a lot to us did."

Heero nodded and said his good byes as he left back for the house. It was about 6:30; no doubt Quatre would be worried.

But he smiled; Heero was a bit glad someone was worried about him. Thinking back to the earlier days he met them, he didn't care that time. There was no point in caring for him; it would have just gotten in his way.

"Heero! Where have you been?" Quatre immediately asked as he saw him come in. "We've been so worried."

"Sorry Quatre. I was at the Crown most of the time," Heero told him. 

Quatre smiled and shook his head. "Sorry, I know it's no business of mine. I was just wondering where you went all this time. You could have left a note."

Wufei snorted as he read the Chinese newspaper he got in the mail daily. "Heero leaving a note? Do you think Maxwell would like to stop playing jokes?"

Trowa smirked. "Just ignore him; he's been sour all day."

"Duo again?"

"Yeah." Trowa simply said.

Wufei mumbled a little more before turning to the next page of the newspaper. His mood lightened up considerably and he began reading the section.

Two weeks passed by and Reika and Motoki were on their way back to Tokyo and the five guys had been there to see them off.

They had met Motoki a few a days after Heero had and the group was acting like they could have been friends since grade school. Motoki told them about the girls back in Japan [he was referring to the senshi] and Duo fazed in and out of reality while Motoki was describing the girls, especially when he heard about Rei. Heero and Wufei had slapped him and Duo had bit his tongue.

He sulked for about a good ten minutes before Reika gave him an ice cream sundae.

Heero called the guys from up stairs one night and asked them to come into the living room.

"Something wrong Heero?" Quatre asked when everyone was there.

"No," Heero said. "It's just that… I'm going to go to Japan; Tokyo to be precise."

The room was quiet for a while before Heero said anything again. 

"It's not that I don't want to stay but I think… well actually I feel I should go. It's pulling me there every time I think about it. Hell, I'm Japanese and I haven't even been to the country before."

"Well," Quatre let out. "I know what you mean. Do you want to get a sense of you are?" Heero nodded. "Then sure. I support you in this."

"Yea," Duo spoke up. "Me too. Knock 'em dead… eh, figuratively of course."

Trowa nodded. "I agree. Go and have fun." 

"One question," Wufei said. "When do you plan to leave?"

"I haven't fingered that one out yet…"

"Then let me give you a date: in two weeks."

"Huh? Why two weeks Wufei?" Duo asked.

Wufei took out a clipped out section of the newspaper and showed it to everyone and then realized they didn't read Chinese. "Eh, never mind. You guys don't read Chinese."

"Was it that obvious?" Duo asked.

Wufei glared at him for a second and turned back to the others. "There are going to be a series of Chinese plays hosted by an international college in Tokyo," Wufei told them. "I'm planning to go."

"Well since everything's coming out," Trowa said. "I have something to add to all this."

"You leaving too?" Duo asked.

"Not exactly," Trowa shook his head. "I thought I would go visit my sister in a few days. I haven't seen her in a while. Would you guys like to come?"

"I don't want to impose," Quatre said.

"You guys won't," Trowa said. "How about this? We can all leave to L3 in a few days, spend sometime there and then Wufei and Heero can leave for Tokyo."

"Sounds like a good idea," Quatre said at the end.

"I'm up for it." Duo said. 

"I'll go." Wufei nodded.

"Sure." Heero said.

Quatre smiled. "Then it's settled."

"Trowa!" Catherine yelled as she ran from the tent. She smiled and hugged Trowa laughing. "It's so good to see you here!"

"It's good to see you too Cathy."

She smiled and hugged him again and then looked at the others, smiling. "Heero," she said turning to him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." 

"Fine? Is that all you can say?" she asked and then smiled giving him a hug. "Boy, you scared me and the rest of the girls about a year ago."

"You still talk to them?" Duo asked.

"Of course I still talk to them!" Catherine exclaimed and turned back tot Heero. "It's nice to see you well Heero."

"Thanks Catherine," Heero said. "You too."

"You all can call me Cathy," she said. "And Wufei bring another thing about 'onna' and I'll sick the lions and tigers on you."

Wufei glared as the rest laughed and walked into the tent.

"Hey guys," Catherine said later. "There's a show that about to start in about half an hour and I have to get ready. So if you want, you can all go around the carnival and then come back to watch."

"Sure, you guys want to walk around?" Quatre asked. 

            "I want to! I want to ride a roller coaster before I see the act," Duo said.

            "Meh…" Wufei shrugged and then Heero did too.

            "You guys go ahead," Trowa told them. "I'm going to help Cathy with her act."

            "You don't have to Trowa," she smiled. "Why don't you hang out with them and then come back?"

            "No, I want to." She smiled and said bye to them. Trowa left with her and the others walked around. 

            "Trowa just wants to show off again," Duo said jokingly.

            "You sure you're not jealous of him? I haven't seen you flip like he can." Quatre smiled as he said that.

            "Hn." Duo said, looking dignified.

            "Maxwell," Wufei added. "You try to look dignified but it doesn't work."

            They laughed and Duo mocked pouted like he was five.

            "Ladies and gentlemen!" the ringleader yelled. "Welcome to the Circus! Our first act: the tight rope with a new performer with us this year!" he announced as a woman walked onto the platform and bowed. 

            She had a mask that covered the eyes and half of her face with orange, silver, and black. She wore a tight white bodice and multiple shades of orange skirts flowing down from her waist. Black, long heeled boots covered her feet. Her long blonde hair flowed down, twisted and placed in front of her on her right side. 

She bowed and smiled as Trowa in his usual clown costume and half mask covering his face. He gave a small smile and the show started.

             Through flips and twists in mid air in a matter of less than six minutes, the two acrobats made to the opposite sides and then made their way back to the middle, which they both stood. The crow and the guys cheered for their friend and the woman; both smiled and nodded to each other.

            Then the woman fell backwards, flipping down and Trowa followed as a bar was thrown down to him as he fell. Catching the woman like holding her like a princess in his arms, he swung them to a lower platform. They both landed on their feet and the crowd gave an ear-splitting applause. The woman grinned and kissed Trowa on his exposed side of face and he blushed, surprised and he didn't expect it coming, the crowd cheered and laughed for them.

            Next came the lion tamer's act, which tigers were also involved. Then clowns riding unicycles and small cars. Catherine came soon, riding on a horse as she stood up and on her hands. 

The last show was the knife throw act, which the woman and Trowa were placed on the targets. Catherine was given two sets of knives as she had one in her hand and then five were suddenly there. The lion tamer came out and blind folded her as she threw each knife at the two. Each time she threw one towards each, they ended at the same place. She was finished soon and the crowd cheered and clapped as all the performers bowed at the end.

Catherine laughed with the woman who had taken off her mask. "I can't believe you made Trowa blush!" she said, her hand on friend's shoulder. "I should have had a camera on me!"

"What can I say?" the blue-eyed woman replied, grinning. "He's too handsome to ignore?"

Catherine laughed again and waved the guys over to them. "Hey guys, meet Minako! She's been filling in for Trowa for the time."

She smiled and had her mask in her right hand and her left arm bent at her waist as she gave a dramatic bow. "A pleasure to meet you all," she said politely. "I'm Aino Minako."

Trowa came, still dressed in his costume. He poked Minako in the side as she squealed. "Rei's right. You are dramatic." He said.

"Of course I am," a woman with long black hair said walking to them. "Mina-chan's always like that."

"Hey!"

"It's a good thing Minako-chan," Catherine said.

"Pttf…" Rei said. "Watakushi no namae wa Hino Rei." She introduced herself.

"And you're polite as ever," Minako said. "Why can't you be that way to me?"

"What can I say?"

Minako stuck out her tongue and made a face. Trowa sighed and Catherine rolled her eyes. Quatre coughed and they all saw the others.

"Oh! Shitsurei shimashita!" Minako said.

"Oh you haven't been rude," Quatre said. "I'm Quatre R. Winner."

"Duo Maxwell." He said grinning at the two.

"Chang Wufei."

"Heero Yuy."

"Hajimemashite." The two women said bowing to them. They returned the gesture and Duo was looking at Rei.

"You two know Motoki-san?" he asked them.

"Furuhata Motoki?" Minako asked.

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Oh course we know him," Rei said. "He owns Crown in the Juuban district where we lived… how do you know him?"

"We met his wife and then him," Quatre said.

"Wife…? Oh!" Minako realized. "Reika! How are they?"

"Good," Quatre answered. "They just left for Tokyo two weeks ago."

"Small world…" Rei muttered. 

_You don't know half of it Sailor Mars, hi no senshi… Heero thought to himself. _

Rei shot her head over to Heero and looked at him quizzically, as if she heard him. "You seem familiar from somewhere Yuy-san," she said.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "Do you know Chiba Mamoru?" he asked them.

This made the two look at him and they nodded slowly. 

Everyone was at a café and since there were eight of them, Catherine's trailer wouldn't have fit all of them. Rei and Minako answered questions some of them answered about Mamoru or about themselves.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Catherine said. "Okay… so you have the heart of Chiba Mamoru who is an organ donor and who is Mina-chan and Rei-chan's dead friend that died eight years ago in 197 who is friend's with this Motoki-guy who you met his wife at this Crown they set up in L4 and through her you met Motoki two weeks ago?" she said in one breath.

"That sums it up." Heero answered.

She sighed and shook her head, leaning back into the chair.

"Small world." Rei and Duo said together. They looked at each, smiling a little. 

_The Ai no Megami is back… she thought as she gave a little smirk. _

Heero sighed inwardly at the whole conversation and then again from what he remembered of Minako. Or what Mamoru- Endymion could remember. 

_How many times do we have to go through with this? He asked himself. _

_You'll have many more times if you keep meeting people that knew him. Another part reminded him. _

_Damn. Heero sighed lowly and took another drink of his coffee. _

"Have you found a place to stay?" Wufei asked Heero.

"No," he told him. "I'm not having too much luck. Are you?" 

Wufei shook his head and looked up from his laptop. "Hotel?"

"No, I'll just keep looking later." Heero said and shut off his laptop. "I'm going to take a walk."

"Don't forget to leave a note for Quatre," Wufei said, smirking. "Wouldn't want Quatre to worry now."

Heero grunted and shook his head, shutting the door behind him. 

He walked on the sidewalk as the wind blew softly. He sighed, closing his eyes when he sat on a bench and tilted his head up. He felt tense the whole day for some reason.

"Yuy-san." Someone said behind him.

He turned around and saw Rei and Minako standing there, looking at him. "Do you two need something?" he asked them.

"Yuy-san," Rei spoke up. "May we talk to you?"

He nodded and got up. "Just Heero is fine." He told them. 

They nodded, leading him to an outdoor café. They sat down and a waiter came by. Minako ordered their drinks and the waiter left. The waiter came back in a few seconds and served them their drinks and she gave him a tip and he left.

They were silent, slowly drinking from their cups or looking around.

"What is that you need to talk to me about?" Heero asked startling them suddenly.

They glanced at each other and Minako nodded. Rei turning to him spoke up again, "you weren't telling the whole thing, when we were all together a day before."

"Of course I wasn't telling the whole thing," Heero said, talking another drinking of his coffee. "I didn't tell them you were the senshi of Tokyo, Venus. Mars." He caught them off guard and he added, "Nor am I going to start telling them you were reincarnated."

Minako regained her composure. "How much do you know Heero-san?"

"Only enough to piece things together, Aino-san," he told her. "Not everything."

"Just certain things?" Rei asked him.

"Not that either," he paused. "Just some things Endymion and Mamoru remember."

"You speak of them as if they were different." Rei stated.

"They are different," Heero said. "Mamoru maybe the reincarnation of Endymion, but they are clearly different people. They each had different lives and believed in different things."

"You could be right," Minako said. "Mamoru always did have trouble thinking of who he really was. He never knew whether he was himself or still Endymion."

Rei smiled a little. "I think all if not most of the senshi had trouble with that. Just not Setsuna."

"Pluto, _toki no senshi."_

"Hai, Pluto." Rei nodded.

"Heero-san," Minako spoke. "Do you have trouble… knowing with what you know?"

"Honestly, no." Heero said, finishing up his drink. "Was there anything specific you wanted to really talk about or was it just about this?"

"… No. sorry to have bothered you Heero-san," Rei said.

"Sorry, it's just that… well; usually we were around him only when she was there." Minako added.

"Tsukino-san?" 

"Yes. How do you know about her?" Minako asked.

"Her name came up in my research."

"Oh…" was all Minako said. 

"Mina-chan, if you want to talk to Heero-san here, I'll be back at the apartment." Rei said leaving.

"Oh, leaving for your date already?" Minako asked slyly.

Rei blushed and snorted. "Date? It's not a date. I don't even know the man."

Heero laughed a little. "If you expect him to be early, make sure you're doing something when he comes." 

Rei grumbled under breath and left the two at the café.

"Heero-san," Minako said turning her attention once more to him. "I need to ask one question."

"Go a head."

She was nervous about asking this particular one but sighed. "Do you feel…or do you remember if Mamoru… loved Usagi-chan?"

He wasn't expecting this one question, but he answered anyway. "Mamoru was confused about that… but he did love her. He tried forgetting what his past memories held for a while and it worked. And he still loved her."

Minako smiled, looking into her cup and then to him. "Thank you Heero-san. But also, answer this one last question for me." Heero nodded and she took a breath. "… Do you feel something towards Tsukino Usagi?"

"Well," Quatre said shaking Heero's and Wufei hand goodbye. "I hope you guys have a good time. I hope you find what you're looking for Heero."

"Thanks Quatre." They both said at the same time.

Quatre was about to say something and Heero interrupted him. "We'll call."

"And we'll e-mail too." Wufei said cutting him off again.

Quatre shook his head, smiling. "You guys know me too well."

"Too well." Wufei said, smiling.

"Say hito Motoki-kun for me will you Heero-kun?" Minako asked.

"Yea me too. He said he'll be waiting at the entrance for you guys." Rei added in.

"On- thanks… Rei," Wufei said. Duo had his jaw opened wide at what he just heard.

"And thanks for the apartment." Heero said, shaking their hands.

"Oh no problem," Rei waved it off. "The land lord's daughter was a friend of mine. Have fun you guys."

"Enjoy Tokyo," Trowa said, shaking their hands too.

"We will… you won't notice us gone Barton." Wufei said, casting a sideways glance at Minako. Trowa coughed and glared at Wufei who laughed it off.

"Flight A623 from gate 5 is boarding, Flight A623 from gate 5 is boarding." The female voice said from the intercom said.

Duo, who finally picked his jaw up, scratched the back of his head. "Well, have a good time like the others said." He said.

Wufei nodded and shook his hand. "Believe it or not Duo, I'll miss you too."

"Dude, you're full of surprises today."

Wufei laughed and patted Duo. Heero shook his hand and grinned. "Have fun."

Rei smirked. "We will. And he'll behave too right Max?" she asked, tugging lightly on his braid.

He gulped. "Man did you guys have to tell about the braid thing?" he asked them.

They both answered, "Yeah."

"Where are they?" Reika asked for the tenth time in the last five minutes. Her eyes kept looking around the airport terminal for the two.

"They should be here," Motoki said, looking over the sea of people coming out. "I don't see them."

"Argh! I don't want to miss the show! It starts in three hours. Traffic's gonna be a drag." She sighed and blew one of her stray hairs.

"Don't worry," Motoki said, calming her. "We won't miss it. We got VIP seats remember?"

"Yeah I remember," Reika said. "Oh! I think I see them!" she yelled. She jumped up once more to make sure and grinned, waving her hand in the air. "Over here guys!"

Several people turned around to see yelled and she flushed in embarrassment. The two made their way over and greeted the couple, shaking hands and Reika hugging them.

"How was your trip?" Motoki asked.

"It was okay." Heero said.

"Boring…" Wufei rolled his eyes.

Motoki laughed and they went to the baggage section to get their luggage.

"Okay now, let's go!" Reika said. "I don't wanna miss the show!" Motoki shook his head, chuckling.

"Show?" Wufei asked. "Would this happen to be the Chinese performances?"

Reika nodded. "Yes, it would be. Our friend's are in the show and gave us tickets and a couple of extras. We're taking you to see them these two weeks."

"Thanks Reika. I've been trying to get tickets for them," Wufei said.

"Kami… did I hear right?" Reika asked. "Motoki! I think we forgot Wufei! This man called me by my name!"

The guys laughed and Wufei rolled his eyes. "Can't I be expected to do the unexpected once in a while?"

"I guess I should," Heero said. "You never guessed I'd get injured."

Wufei nodded, chuckling. "And end up like this eh? Meeting all these people?"

"Nope," Heero smiled. "Never expected it."

"Wufei!" Heero yelled. "Are you ready?"

"Coming!" he yelled back from his room. A minute later he came out and the two left, going down stairs to meet up with Motoki and Reika. 

Motoki was dressed in a pair of black dress pants and shoes with a long sleeved blue shirt, tucked in with two top buttons undone, to match his eyes. Reika was wearing a black-blue dress with patterns of roses and vines that went to her knees and wore black heeled sandals on her feet. Some of her hair was done in a braid and the rest went down, a butterfly clip matching the dress was at the top of her braid.

"Finally," Reika smiled. "Wow, you two look sharp."

Heero was dressed in black dress pants and shoes like Motoki but he wore a white shirt instead and had the long sleeves unbuttoned and rolled up. And like Motoki also, two of the buttons at the top were undone and it was also tucked in. 

            However, Wufei was wearing a white Chinese styled, high collared shirt. It was embroidered with silver thread but barely visible in the dark. All the buttons were done and even on the sleeves. He also wore black dress pants and shoes like the other two.

            "And you look good yourself Reika," Heero said.

            "Hey. Hands off my wife now Heero," Motoki said in mock warning. They all laughed and went into Reika's car, towards the theater.

            "Okay! Get off the lines Firefly!" Yamakawa Shingo called up.

            "Hai sensei!" Hotaru called from the air. She looked over to her right and waved her hand down and the technician moved the handle of the machine up to lower the wires holding onto Hotaru.

            Her feet touched the wooden stage and she unhooked each wire from her body harness and dusted off her pants. "Thanks Yokoku-san!" she called up.

            The boy smiled from upper platform and went back making sure the machine was working in condition and order.

            "You're lucky Taru-chan," a woman said from the side Hotaru turned around and smiled. "I wished I had signed up for theater when I was here."

            "Usa-chan, I thought you weren't going to be here for another hour," Hotaru said. 

            Usagi laughed a little. "Well, what can I do? Motoki-kun said he didn't need my help and the embassy let me off early tonight," she said.

            "Escaped the paper work eh?" 

            "Hai!" Usagi smiled. "But really! If I knew embassy work was so much I wouldn't have pick it Taru-chan!"

            Hotaru laughed. "I think you like it too much to complain about the paperwork… you did get to go to England a few days ago didn't you?" 

            "Hai!" Usagi answered happily. "It was the best and I saw Mako-chan there! Her restaurant is as busy as ever I tell you. They can't get enough of her food."

            They laughed and smiled, moving off the stage into the room the director gave her for the night. Hotaru changed back into her college uniform which consisted of a white collared and short sleeved shirt, a pair of black shoes with stockings, a medium length black skirt, and a black button up vest with the school emblem on the right pocket.

            "So what does bring you buy early Usagi-chan?" Hotaru asked her friend.

            "You left your costume in the apartment Taru-chan," Usagi said pointing over the white zip-up bag handing from a bar. "I'd never thought you would forget. Maybe my bad habits are rubbing off." 

            Hotaru snorted. "Uh huh… well it was only this once so maybe they aren't… heh…"

            Usagi laughed. "Right, right… guess what?"

            "What?"

            "I'll be in the performance too!" Usagi said happily.

            "What? Are you serious?" Hotaru asked, shocked. "Hontou ne?"

            "Hai, hai! I'll be playing one of the Guzheng off to the side, I haven't played in a while…" Usagi said drifting off.

            "Guzheng… Guzheng…" Hotaru repeated. "Where have I heard that name before?" she asked herself. Then she remembered what it was. "Usagi-chan! You can play the Guzheng?! It's so hard!"

            Usagi snapped out of her slight daze and nodded. "I've been practicing these past few weeks. You how hard it was to find one?"

            "But Usagi-chan, are you serious? The Guzheng?" Hotaru asked. "There are only two people that can people in my class. And even they've had trouble sometimes."

            Usagi smiled. "Don't worry Firefly, I won't embarrass myself. I'll be fine, trust me."

            Hotaru nodded. "I trust you," she said and then she smiled somewhat. "Can you show me?" 

            Usagi laughed lightly, nodding. "Of course I'll play for you… but first, how about we get ready?"

            Reika took out the passes and gave each one to the guys as they passed the usher, who nodded and then turned back to check the other people in the line waiting to get in.

            They walked through a curtain and entered a large lobby, holding others who were walking around or talking to other people. Multiple sets of chandeliers were hung to light the lobby and chairs or couches were set around pots of flowers and trees that were planted into the floor.

            "This place is amazing…" Reika murmured as she looked around and at the people at were attending. 

            Motoki nodded and smiled as he slipped his arm into hers and she turned to him smiling more. 

            Heero glanced up at the ceiling and let out a breath; it was amazing. In certain places in the ceiling, it was clear glass as you could see the sky. He looked around and finally found Wufei talking an elderly woman. He could clearly see Wufei nodded and roll his eyes as she talked and blush when she had mentioned something. He shook his head, smirking a little and walked up to the two.

            "Wufei, who's this?" Heero asked him. He seemed relieved Heero came at this time. "I hope I'm not interrupting something."

            "No!" Wufei exclaimed and then coughed. "... Err no, you're not interrupting," Wufei said again. "This is my mother's old friend, Li Chung Xin."

            "Actually Ah-Fei," she said. "I'm now Yamakawa Chung Xin. But you can still called me Chi sin, eh?" she asked smiling and then she turned to Heero. "You know when Wufei was little and I said my name, he said 'chi sin'! Chinese for crazy. You should have seen his parents and the other elders! Laughing away and Wufei didn't know what was going on!" she said.

            Heero looked over to Wufei who was looking like he was going to find a rock and crawl under it. "Watakushi no namae wa Yuy Heero." He said bowing slightly.

            "Oh! So polite! Wufei learn from your friend here," she said. "Oh I'm kidding Ah-Fei, don't blush so much. You're so quiet like my daughter in Hong Kong. Well Heero-san! Nice to meet you, I'm the director's wife by the way." She smiled shaking his hand and catching him off guard by doing so. "Oh dear!" she exclaimed. "I need to get going to help with the girls getting ready! A pleasure to see you Ah-Fei and a pleasure meeting your friend too!" she said, almost in a half walk and run. 

            Wufei blinked; like he was getting dizzy and then she came back again. "Ah-Fei! I almost forgot! Here's a little something for Chinese New Year, just incase I don't see you." She said giving a little red packet to him. And then she turned to Heero, "Well I'm sure you don't celebrate it eh? But I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Have a nice time watching the show you two!" she said enthusiastically, patting the two on the back and leaving.

            Heero raised an eyebrow and held up the red packet to Wufei. "What's this?"

            Wufei sighed in relief that Yamakawa-san had left for the minute, but he guessed it was nice seeing a familiar face from his childhood days. He turned to Heero, "It's a custom for Chinese New Year for married adults to give money to their children or other's children, for luck and happiness."

            "We're not exactly children," Heero told him.

            "Don't say that to the adults," Wufei said. "Besides, they give it away freely and if you don't take it, it's sort of an offence. They insist that you take it until you do anyway."

            "Oh… I don't think I've ever met a…"  
  


            "Crazier woman?" Wufei asked and Heero nodded slightly. "I think was right when I was little…" he muttered.

            _I was thinking friendlier elder actually… Heero thought amusingly._

            Reika came running to them and glaring slightly. "Guys! The show's going to start soon! Where were you? Oh never mind, tell me later. Motoki got our seats." She said in a hurry. She pulled the two by the arm and past people, into the even larger auditorium where the show would be. 

            There were multiple balconies around the upper area and each one at a slightly different height. The seats that were on ground level as the stage were divided into five sections and were just as comfortable as a couch. The five sections were sort of placed in a crescent sort of way for people to see the stage at different angles. 

            Their seats were directly in front, center of the stage.

            "There you guys are!" Motoki said. "I want you two to meet Meiou Setsuna here. She helped with some of the effects and clothes for the performance."

            "A pleasure." She said, with a small dip of her head. "Heero."

            "Setsuna."

            "Heero, you know her?" Wufei asked.

            "Yeah…" Heero said. _Sort of._

            "Oi, Setsuna!" someone called from behind them. They turned around and saw _another man with blonde hair in a black suit and a woman with wavy, dark aqua hair in a one strap black dress that flowed to her feet with green prints of leaves._

            "Tenou-san and Kaiou-san!" Motoki said, amazed. "Wow…" Reika was speechless, two famous people were here; near them and knew Setsuna!

            "The racer and violinist?" Wufei asked. Heero looked over to him and shrugged, not too surprised at the moment.

            _They Sky King and Sea Queen… Heero thought as the two greeted Setsuna and then turned to the others.          _

            "Wow," Reika said. "Can I have your autograph?"

            Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna laughed and then Haruka winked. "Better, we'll all go to dinner afterwards." 

            Reika blushed as Michiru elbowed her in the side, Setsuna chuckling. Motoki blinked and scratched his head. "Setsuna, you never mentioned you knew them…"

            "You never asked." She answered, grinning. "So… you two heard?"

            "Oh course we heard!" Haruka said. "Firefly is in this. I'd never miss anything ifs she was in it."

            "Same here," Michiru added. "Oh! We're being so rude! Watakushi no namae wa Kaiou Michiru."

            "Tenou Haruka." She said her hand out to shake theirs.

            "Chang Wufei."

            "Yuy Heero."

            The two looked over Heero for a second and then shook both their hands. "Hajimemashite." They both said at the same time like Rei and Minako had.

            "Excuse me, but what did you mean by 'Firefly'?" Wufei asked.

            "Oh, Tomoe Hotaru," Haruka said with pride. 

"Adoptive daughter." Michiru added with a smile.

"Adoptive daughter?" they all asked.

"Yes, adoptive daughter." Both Haruka and Michiru answered.

"Ahem," Setsuna cleared her throat lightly. "As much as I'm sure you all would love to get acquainted with each other, the show will start shortly." She said as she pointed to the ushers showing people to their seats.

Usagi peaked behind the red curtain covering the stage and blinked. There were so many people this night… more than she thought she had thought before.

_Oh silver moon… she prayed. __Please don't let me screw this up… I've tried so hard… she sighed silently to herself._

_You won't my bunny, Serenity __said. The long dead princess stood behind the woman, all decked in her silver dress with gold crescent moons, crystal-pearl earrings and silver barrettes that decorated her odango. __You've worked hard and you're me! You can't mess up._

Usagi smiled and turned around, facing the look-a-like; only the princess looked 16 and Usagi was 24. _Guess you're right… but didn't we establish a long, long time ago we weren't the same?_

_Meh… Serenity shrugged her bare shoulders._

Usagi shook her head and nodded. _Then again we could be the same… you never know, even though…_

_We're different? Serenity asked. __Reincarnations aren't always to match with souls. It depends on the person's life and how they were brought up._

_OoO… I'm not__ going to even think about that… I'm just trying to get through this. Not become logical on reincarnations of a soul and then their differences._

Serenity laughed and smiled encouragingly. _You'll do fine; you're a natural at it. She __said as she disappeared from reality. _

Usagi smiled once last time as she looked out through the curtain. She was somewhat happy to be here anyway. Then she spotted five she knew and her smiled turned into a grin. _Ha! You guys aren't the only how can perform… she thought thinking of Haruka and Michiru. _

Her attention shifted onto two other men that were talking to Motoki. One had somewhat long black hair in a tight pony tail and the other had messy black-brown hair. They were both handsome and even beautiful in certain features. But she felt a _pull of some sort… to one of them? She couldn't distinguish it but just left it in the back of her mind as she made her way to the room to change and finish her hair up._

She had actually let the woman cut it. It wasn't as long as she used to have it… the odango hid the actual length and the woman was surprised. But now it was about to her mid back and brown and black extensions were added to her hair. She did NOT want to dye it.

In the dressing room, she un-zipped the hang-bag and took out her clothes for the show piece by piece. By the time she was done it had been 15 minutes later as Yamakawa-san, not the director but the wife, came back to finished the hair.

"My, my…" she smiled as she moved her hand for Usagi to turn around. She did just that, the white-silver part of her clothes flaring like a dress and yet it wasn't.

Underneath all the top layers, was a pair of long white flare silk pants and a Chinese styled white shirt with the first and only button undone. Over that was a silverish-blue Chinese long, flared sleeved, silk tunic that went to her thighs and then a white sash was tied around her slim waist three times to emphasize her figure as it went up each time and then tied at the side in a secure knot. The final touch was a white silk duster with no sleeves than fell to the floor purposely like a wave. 

"Usagi, you're so stunning…" Yamakawa-san smiled. "Now let me finish your hair."

Usagi nodded as she sat down in the chair, watching as the elder woman apply something white to her blonde hair, making it look like it was silver in the gleam of lights. It only brought out the black and brown of her hair out more and Usagi never thought she would this… foreign to herself. 

"Strange isn't it dear?" the woman asked as she finished and turned the chair around. "Strange seeing yourself? As if you you're not restrained in the least?"

"I… I don't feel restrained," Usagi said thoughtfully. "Just…"

The door opened and Hotaru's head popped in. "is it okay for me to come in?"

Yamakawa-san motioned for the young woman to come forward and smiled. "My goodness… with you two in the show, we'll be sold out every night!"

The two blushed and Hotaru the most and the elder woman laughed good heartedly. 

"Perhaps you can meet my nephew after the show," I haven't seen the nice boy in a long time you know."

"You have a nephew? Here?" Usagi and Hotaru asked.

"Oh he's not by blood; he's my dead friend's son," she sighed. "We were the best of friends through out our childhood." She shook her head and smiled. "Well Hotaru, are you ready?"

Hotaru had on a pair of long silk black pants and a matching black Chinese silk top. A rich purple tunic of silk with red Saruka blossoms embroidery fell to her thighs and was tied with a red sash just like Usagi's white one was, three times around the waist. Then a long black robe with silver leaves was draped over her, the sleeves were very large and dragged on the floor but Hotaru was holding it up right now. As Usagi was barefoot, Hotaru had had on soft, cushioned, black, non-leather, boots that only rose an inch. 

As she had grown over the years, her face had taken a somewhat Chinese appearance. The eyes seemed smaller, her skin wasn't pale anymore but very lightly tanned as she still didn't go out in the sun much.

Her hair seemed the most complicated of all. The older woman in the room had add long layers upon layers of black hair and then twisted, braided, pulled, and then pin in place. A few small braids on each side of her face looped into the pinned bun and upper loop and had clearly purple string crisscrossed to hold it tight. A thin, red, but wide hair ordainment of red jewels in small, tiny, red flowers, and purple leaves was placed at the front of her pinned hair to slightly cover the bun from the front.

Hotaru nodded. "I can't believe I can actually move in this… I don't want this to fall off." She said, referring to the seemingly delicate hair ordainment. 

"You won't. I've done it many times and not once has it ever fallen and not matter the person either," she said proudly.

Hotaru smiled and sighed. "Changing in-between scenes is gonna be a pain."

The three laughed and walked out the dressing room. A prop setter walked by Hotaru and gave her the props she would be using. It was a pair of dual thin Chinese swords on the same length and on a chain. Hotaru expertly moved the chain under the sash and had the swords hide under the sides of the black silk.

Usagi was ushered to her spot where she would be playing the Guzheng with two others, the one in cool colors of orange and other light pastels was Summer and the other in the different shades of brown and red was Autumn. Apparently, the three were the representation of Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each one would play their perspective season by themselves and then they would play Spring all together.

The lights slowly dimmed until they were little pinpricks and then when the curtains were rising, they turned off completely. The stage wasn't lit, until the first note of music was heard.

Usagi breathed and was given the clue to start. She closed her eyes as she stuck the familiar note and one stage light lit. As soon as the other notes rang in the air clearly together, all the lights were on lighting up the trio of Guzheng players on the stage. 

She didn't feel nervous at all. As she played each note, her body moved slightly to music, relaxingly. She had her eyes closed for the moment and with the distinctive notes she would bob her head or move her neck, all the while as she sat with her legs bent to the side, her hair falling around her and her silk duster spread around her. 

Her right fingers with picks taped to the tips would be picking or plucking at the right side of the Guzheng and the other, her left would be either gliding on the stings for that humming sound or pressing each one in a pattern while plucking. The music was slow and felt melancholy, yet you could have just felt a little of something or heard that rise of a soft, yet soothing note that you would think was Hope in or from the cold season itself. 

The colored lights turn a dull gray falling onto her sitting figure. Usagi could feel the light but with the cool air conditioning and the silk she was in, it was comfortable. She smiled a little as she thought she could lull herself to sleep while the people were watching her play.

She heard a whisper to the side; it was another clue to open her eyes as she played.  She did so and smiled sadly like it was her part to do in the performance. From the top platform of the stage, what looked like snow fell onto the trio and the rest of the wide wooden stage, two who's heads were bent like sleeping as they sat up and hers as she moved to the melancholy beat of her own instrument.

The stage was set up to look like a winter forest in Ancient China, there was even a house with a triangle roof in the distance and it looked like the stage could have stretched on forever with how the trees and bushes surrounded it.

From the seats, the audience listened to the song played upon the Chinese harp. They were pulled and trapped within its melody, like a wind swept leaf. They heard as it rose in sound but stayed the same and then as it lowed but they could clearly heard it.

Wufei smiled sadly as the melody reminded him of life on L5. The days seemed like a blur as a few memories came up on the surface of his mind. He watched with others as a young woman in a black robe with long sleeves held up as women had walked in those days with a thin and wiry hair ordainments that looked like Sakura blossoms and purple leaves. Her face was set in sadness, showing nothing up despair as she was looking at the 'forest' around her. She turned slightly and he could see her eyes far from where he was.

Heero breathed in the melody as it brought back flashbacks of the past, his past not Endymion's and Mamoru's. The woman in black who had walked onto the stage walked slowly, looking and then looked as someone would come. He turned his attention to the Guzheng player clad in white and silver. 

And for a moment, he could see all that happened to her and before this life. All the fond and sad memories the soul had held over whatever the length of time it was here. Her eyes trapped him in and yet he knew her. He knew the eyes, remembering what he had been shown. Then he thought back to his feelings another woman had ask of him, if he had any or harbored something like it.

He could faintly hear from a place before and then somewhere even pervious to it, a familiar sound which he didn't recognize.

_If I should die this very moment  
  
_

_I wouldn't fear  
  
_

_For I've never known completeness  
  
_

_Like being here  
  
_

_Wrapped in the warmth of you  
  
_

_Loving every breath of you  
  
_

_Still my heart this moment_

_…_

_…_

But the heart in his soul did…

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Thanks you for reading Mina-san! Yes, I'm aware Mina-san looks like its calling ALL of you like Mina [Minako's nickname] + san. Well, I'm not; I found it written in this Japanese grammar book okay?

The song at the end is called 'Gorecki' by Lamb. I hope to find their CD soon… and I have to thank Rogue Angel Barton for having that song in one of her fics- Eye of the Midnight Storm. I love it! Please read it. And AkaMoonSugar's fics too.

The Guzheng by the way is a Chinese instrument and is known at the 'Chinese Harp'; if you want a little more info go here: http://www.chinesemusic.co.uk/english/instruments.html

If some of you need to know ages for SOME reason, here they are:

Flashbacks-

° Usagi is 14 when Mamoru calls her 'Odango, and then 16 when she's crying and runs.

° Mamoru and Motoki are fours years older than her so you know how to figure that right? 

The Story's "Real Time"-

° Heero, Duo, Quatre, and Wufei are 25

° Trowa is 26

° Catherine is 29

° Usagi, Ami, Rei, Minako, and Makoto are 24

° Haruka is 29

° Michiru is 28

° Setsuna is- please people do you need a time? I've warp both worlds into one. If you want one just for kicks Setsuna, our _toki no senshi should be about… over 2000 give or take a few years. _

° Motoki is 28

° Reika is 25

° Mr. Yamakawa is 50 as his wife is 44

If you would like me to continue this as a fic or want the _other parings with Usagi, please review to inform me or email me at and please feel free to comment on this-_

TempusxGurl31@Aol.com


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